I like my jet pilot 1mm seal skin. F-22 maybe? It's good for when the air is cold water is warm, blocks all that wind. When the water is cold straight neoprene is preferred though, not to say its bad when it's cold water though...

Hey Now! I wear a 2.5mm shorty when it gets cold out and I look awesome in it!.
I have been interested in a heater shirt though, possibly a long sleeve one to wear under the shorty for when it gets REALLY cold, like in January. Also I haven't really worn any thing before, just been board shorts and a life jacket before this season, but hey I'm getting old, almost 30 now! But aren't heater tops and rash guards the same? Or is there more insulation in a heater top?
Also are there any good/cheap sites anyone would recommend?

I have a quicksilver ignite 2mm top, its freakin awesome. I like it because its a little easier on and off than a spring suit but obviously not as warm but it does get ride of the chill and I get to keep my mobility. I'm married so I'm pretty much numb from the waist down anyway... If conditions are spring suit worthy I usually just put a full suit on...

Spring suit? Is that like a shorty? Never heard that term before.
All I know this kind of gear is:
Wetsuit = full suit that allows water in/out and keeps you warm
Drysuit = full suit that does not allow water in/out and keeps you warm and dry
Shorty = A shorter wet suit that is similar to wearing a one piece T-Shirt and Shorts and typically thinner than a full wet suit
Top/Jacket or Bottom = Individual pieces halves of a wet suit, normally thinner than a full suit
Steamer = Australian term for a thin wet suit?
Rash guard = Very thin top that protects your skin, allows easier access in/out of wetsuit and keeps you kinda warm
Heater top = ??? Rashguard? Wetsuit top?
Spring suit = ??? Shorty?

I prefer a long-sleeve spring (or shorty) wetsuit over a heater top. I don't think the heater top really does much other than keep the wind off you. The spring suit keeps the wind off more, offers some protection for the boys, is quite warm and looks exactly like a heater top when you wear board shorts over it. Best piece of equipment i ever bought was my LS Springy.

My personal preference is a heater top then skip all the way to a dry suit when the water gets colder. I'm eventually going to want a dry suit anyway and they are so much more comfortable than wetsuits I just skip wetsuits entirely. Now that dry suits are getting more affordable and wakeboard specific I know a bunch of people going the same direction.

As for the original question, I don't find much difference between the brands. I prefer the heater tops that have a small zipper up the back to the ones that are like a tight long sleeve T just for ease of egress. I've seen some that start getting thicker like 3mm, but I think that is overkill. The primary purpose of the top is keeping wind off of you and a layer of body warmed water close, not insulation from cold seeping through the material. 2mm seems a good compromise between warmth and easy access. They make a super thin version that is more of a rash guard - don't recommend them myself for warmth as they don't do much. Check out the O'Neill Hammer, but Billabong and Rip Curl make nearly identical quality and priced alternatives - just can't remember their names. I've used all three and have literally no preference - suggest buying on price or color.

Wearing board shorts over a wetsuit is a wakeboarding thing. You will never see a surfer wearing board shorts over a wetsuit... See it all the time in wakeboarding. I'm not saying that in a good or bad way - just find it curious how two somewhat similar sports like surfing and wakeboarding can evolve with completely different cultural norms.

Wearing board shorts over a wetsuit is a wakeboarding thing. You will never see a surfer wearing board shorts over a wetsuit... See it all the time in wakeboarding. I'm not saying that in a good or bad way - just find it curious how two somewhat similar sports like surfing and wakeboarding can evolve with completely different cultural norms.

Yep, and this is a wakeboarding site with a person asking about wakeboarding. I will say that shorts over a full suit is silly. Spring suits look funny and with a pair of boardies it looks like you are wearing a heater top.

I wear board shorts over my shorty, whats wrong with that? just looks like I have a heater top on....... I hate full wetsuits. I can pretty much ride in 52 degree water without any thing but a heater top, then I roll into my drysuit when the lake temp gets below 50

I've got a couple Jetpilot F35's. Scored one on amazon for like 28 bucks last summer. I agree with the above though, don't worry so much about brands, I'd rather worry about options. The one option that's my deal breaker is the ones that cut the wind (jetpilot's is called seal skin I think), over the ones that don't. I absolutely love my tops, probably get more use out of them than the rest of my cold weather riding gear combined, as they're great to have on hand in the middle of summer too on those sunrise sets when the air hasn't warmed up yet.

I'd actually say a rider in a fullsuit with boardshorts over looks pretty ridiculous and unnecessary, I'd rather have some dry ones to change into/save laundry.. Could hint toward a bit of a self confidence issue, as well. Plus it's one of the closest things to being naked in public, who doesn't love that

Spring suit? Is that like a shorty? Never heard that term before.
All I know this kind of gear is:
Wetsuit = full suit that allows water in/out and keeps you warm
Drysuit = full suit that does not allow water in/out and keeps you warm and dry
Shorty = A shorter wet suit that is similar to wearing a one piece T-Shirt and Shorts and typically thinner than a full wet suit
Top/Jacket or Bottom = Individual pieces halves of a wet suit, normally thinner than a full suit
Steamer = Australian term for a thin wet suit?
Rash guard = Very thin top that protects your skin, allows easier access in/out of wetsuit and keeps you kinda warm
Heater top = ??? Rashguard? Wetsuit top?
Spring suit = ??? Shorty?

A steamer is a very THICK. Wetsuit usually with a hood and boots (were talking like a 6/5 mm)

Rash guard is thin spandex to protect from surf rash
Heater top is also called a jacket it is a neoprene wetsuit top.
Spring suit is long sleeve top, short legs.